February 24, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government has firmly rejected claims that it paid a ransom or released militant commanders to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Papiri, Niger State, insisting that the successful rescue was the result of professional intelligence and operational precision.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, the government described reports attributed to unnamed international intelligence sources as false, baseless, and a disservice to the professionalism of Nigeria’s security forces.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed,” Idris emphasized.
He noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the leadership of the National Assembly had all issued categorical denials of any ransom arrangement.
The Minister further highlighted that the circulating narratives relied solely on unnamed “intelligence sources” and individuals “familiar with the talks,” rather than verified, on-the-record confirmations from constituted authorities.
Addressing inconsistencies in the reports, which alleged a payout of nearly N2 billion delivered by air, the Federal Government specifically dismissed as fiction claims that ransom payments were delivered via helicopter to insurgents with cross-border verification.
The DSS formally described such assertions as fake and laughable, the Minister added.
Idris reiterated that Nigeria is confronting a structured, profit-driven criminal network and that the safe rescue of the pupils without casualties was achieved through careful intelligence gathering and operational expertise.
He also urged media organisations to verify facts thoroughly before publishing reports that could embolden criminal elements or undermine troop morale.
The government assured Nigerians that security agencies remain steadfast in safeguarding lives and protecting the country’s territorial integrity within the rule of law.
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